John Dahir Joins MCL Construction

John Dahir

John Dahir fell into the position of Safety Director 17 years ago. 
 
He grew up watching his father and grandfather work with their hands and was hooked on the way they could turn almost nothing into something.  Following in their path, he went to work in construction.  Three years into his career as a laborer, one moment changed his career path.

​John was working on a project site demoing a plaster ceiling when he fell off a step ladder.  He fell 8 feet to the ground and, trying to protect his face, he stuck out his arm to brace the fall.  He landed on his arm and shattered three bones in his left elbow.  He was taken to the hospital with a compound wound. 
 
“Shock kind of took over.  I stood back up ready to get back not realizing what had really happened,” MCL Safety Manager John Dahir said. 
 
John needed surgery to repair the injury and ended up with four external fixator screws to help set the bones.  During his recovery, he was given the position of Kiewit’s Safety Manager.  What was supposed to be a temporary position turned into a career.  He was passionate about preventing anyone else from going through what he did.  Injuries are preventable and he wanted to be the one to prevent them. 
 
“My goal is to make sure everyone returns home in the same condition they came to work in,” John said.  “I don’t want what happened to me to happen to anyone else.” 
 
Now, his elbow is completely healed but he carries with him a 14” scar on the back of his left arm that reminds him why safety is so important and why he is committed to protecting others on the job site. 
 
John officially joined the MCL team on October 28, 2020.  His safety career started at Kiewit where he spent 13 years as the Safety Manager.  He left Kiewit in 2015 and accepted a position as the Safety Manager for Beal Derkeene Construction.  He spent about 8 months with that company before accepting a position with another Nebraska construction firm as its Safety Director.  He held that position for five years. 
 
At MCL, success starts with safety.  It is our top priority and one of our core values the business operates on.  Under John’s leadership, the men and women employed with MCL can trust that their job site is a safe job site. 
 
John hopes that through his experience as a laborer and as someone who suffered a workplace injury, he will be a resource for our field team.  He says he wants to do more than plan.  He will be a hands-on instructor who wants to pitch in and show our team different safety techniques.   
 
“I have been on both sides of the fence.  I have worked on the management side and the craft side, so my approach is more or less to treat people how you want to be treated on all sides of the industry,” said John. 
 
Safety starts with communication. He encourages the MCL team to come to him with any questions or concerns. When it comes to your safety, he says there is no such thing as a bad question. ​
About MCL Construction
​For many businesses, navigating the entire construction process and knowing who to trust can be overwhelming.  At MCL Construction, our people simplify the process by listening, planning, executing, and continuing the relationship to build their vision